A Brief History of Falkirk Round Table - 1950 to 2016
Nearly sixty-five years ago a group of 13 young men came together and Falkirk Round Table was established to further those aims and objects created by the organisation's founder Louis Marchesi in 1928. Much has changed in our society and community in the last 65 years but Falkirk Round Table still upholds the founding principles which have maintained it over these years. A non political, non sectarian association for young men embracing all professions and trades. Its objects are the encouragement of high ethical standards in commercial life, the promotion of social interaction and fellowship among professional and business men and the quickening of individual interests in everything affecting the public welfare. These are as worthy objects if not more so now as they were 65 years ago and hopefully they continue to remain so as we welcome new members into the organisation every year.
In the early years of Falkirk Round Table there was a lot of work done for local charities. One of our founder members the late Wilson Galloway who became our first Honorary Life President reminded us at our 50th Charter Dinner that much of the early charity work of Falkirk Round Table had been very practical as it was still the era of austerity after WW2 and money was scarce for fundraising as we know it today. Service to the community remains key to the activities of Falkirk Round Table whether it be our Christmas Float, which is such a local tradition now and always expected and anticipated by the folks of Falkirk as part of the Christmas festivities, or the provision of much needed funds for local good causes including the making of playhouses for young children with autism or the provision of equipment for needy children. Who as past members from those eras can ever forget the trips to the caravan at St Andrews or the visits to Butlins at Ayr – yes happy memories, but you always had to be prepared for the unexpected!
At its outset Falkirk Round Table was sponsored by its mother Table Stirling and over the years Falkirk Round Table has itself gone on to establish other Tables – Bathgate, Airdrie and District and Linlithgow. We have also been very well represented by members at both Area and National levels. This culminated in 2009 when Graeme Drummond one of our members became National President. He was the first from Falkirk Round Table to achieve this position. But others have also had significant involvement at National level including our current Honorary Life President Harry Johnston. It cannot be said at least not truthfully that Falkirk Round Table has been insular even to the extent that recently members were actively involved in every sense.
Having said all that Falkirk Round Table would not continue to attract new members if it didn’t also mean fun and fellowship. From the great Charter Dinner nights, entertaining and stimulating speakers with the odd brewery visit and foreign trips to Dublin, Berlin, Stockholm, Madrid, Munich, Prague and Basel thrown in there is something for everyone and not least of all the many new friendships many of which remain for life.
Quite simply it is the greatest young men’s club in the world!
To mark the ocassion of our 60th anniversary in 2010 a special book was compiled by one our our members and past Chairman - Graeme Laird which was presented to all guests who attended our 60th Charter Dinner on the 12th November 2010. The book charts the history of Falkirk Round Tabel from the very must meeting in 1950 up to 2010. Please double click on the image below to read or download.
